Eight-year-old Jeremy Berrie did not get his wish Wednesday in Pima County Superior Court.
Clutching a big stuffed teddy bear, the boy asked Judge Clark Munger to send the man convicted of murdering his mom to prison for the rest of his life.
"I feel mad and sad. Because of this man, my sister is an orphan," the tousled-hair boy said. Moments later he showed the judge a picture of his mom.
Munger sentenced Paul Beam, 36, to life in prison, but with a chance of release after 25 years.
Beam was convicted of first-degree murder in November in the death of Lisa Berrie, 25.
On Aug. 12, 2008, Beam's father called 911 to say there had been a domestic violence incident at his son's Oro Valley apartment and his son's girlfriend had been injured.
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Beam was outside when police arrived, but he turned and went back inside, according to court documents. When police got him to open the door, he said he and two children were the only ones in the apartment.
During a search of the apartment, police found Berrie unconscious on the bedroom floor. She was pronounced dead at University Medical Center about an hour later.
An autopsy revealed Berrie had been beaten and strangled.
During his trial, Darlene Edminson-O'Brien, assistant Pima County public defender, asked jurors to convict Beam of manslaughter, saying Beam acted in the heat of passion after Berrie told him she was leaving him and taking their 2-year-old daughter, Katlyn.
Lisa Berrie's parents and sister also asked Munger to impose a no-parole life term Wednesday.
Marc and Linda Berrie reminded Munger they testified their daughter told them Beam was abusive and threatened to kill her shortly before her death if she left him. The Berries said their daughter asked them to find her housing in their home state of Delaware and she had already applied for jobs there.
Jeremy overhead his mother's last moments and Katlyn imitates what happened that night with her dolls, the family told Munger.
Every morning and every night Katlyn asks why she can't go to see her mom, Marc Berrie said.
The entire family is in counseling, he said.
Because state Child Protective Services would not discuss an interstate adoption, the Berries had to move to Tucson. Marc Berrie said on top of dealing with their loss, his wife had to retire to take care for the children, they've been unable to sell their home and they have lost their life savings.
Suzanne Berrie, 24, said her sister was a "strong Viking woman" who would have fought back if given the choice.
"He's not a man. He's an animal," and needs to be treated as such, Suzanne Berrie said.
A tearful Beam said he has "extreme regret" for what he did and plans to use his time in prison wisely.
"I cannot give back what I've taken and for that I'm truly sorry," Beam said.
Moments later, he said, "I do not ask for forgiveness because I can't forgive myself. This never should have happened and I accept responsibility for that."
Berrie was a manager at the Starbucks inside a Bashas' supermarket where Beam was a produce manager.
Contact reporter Kim Smith at 573-4241 or kimsmith@azstarnet.com
